"Independent Lens" Announces Winter/Spring 2012 Season

Lineup Includes Award Winners "We Were Here," "Hell and Back Again," "Being Elmo," and More
(January 17, 2012)

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 01/17/12 -- The Emmy® Award-winning PBS series "Independent Lens," hosted by Mary Louise Parker, announced its winter/spring 2012 schedule today. "Our upcoming winter/spring season features a robust slate of some of the most engaging and award-winning documentaries ever on 'Independent Lens,'" says senior series producer Lois Vossen. "It's a perfect mix of unique characters, critical issues, and important stories that demonstrate the extraordinary range and power of independent documentary filmmakers. We can't wait to share them with millions of viewers across the country."

The winter/spring season includes recent IDA Award winners, Independent Spirit Award nominees, a duPont Award winner, and two films on the so-called "short-list" for Academy Award® nominations: "Hell and Back Again," one of the most powerful documentaries ever made about war, and "We Were Here," a heartfelt, heartbreaking look at the early days of the AIDS crisis in San Francisco.

Also on the slate is "The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975," an explosive look inside the black power movement with never-before-seen interviews with its leaders filmed at the peak of their power, and "Revenge of the Electric Car," which gives us hope that sustainable transportation is possible. Other films look at the impact of ethnic studies on Latino students, bring to life an unsung civil rights leader named Daisy Bates, and challenge the concept of Black History Month as outdated. And fans of a furry red puppet will meet its charismatic creator, Kevin Clash, in the delightful "Being Elmo."

"With every program we present, and with each new season we curate, 'Independent Lens' strives to be the leader in public television's efforts to showcase diverse programming that is relevant to all our American communities," said Vossen. "Public television is an important part of our national public square, and 'Independent Lens' is committed to bringing these unique stories and the conversations they inspire to public television."